Women in the news
"Rita Cosby" 2001 Matrix Awardee
FOX News biography
As the youngest senior news correspondent in network television, Rita Cosby continues to out scoop her seasoned colleagues while covering national and international breaking news stories for the FOX News Channel and the broadcast network.
Based in Washington, this three-time EMMY winner for investigative reporting, consistently has broken major news stories throughout the world. Live in Belgrade during the bombing, she was first to report that three American P.O.W.s were going to be released. Cosby also scored the only interview with the Montana Freemen during their 1996 standoff with the FBI and has interviewed four U.S. Presidents. As a lead FOX reporter covering the 1996 Presidential campaign, she followed the candidates from the New Hampshire primary to election eve and is currently playing a vital role in FOX's "e;You Decide 2000" dedicated election coverage.
During the Monica Lewinsky investigation, she broke the news that the President was going to be subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury. It was also Cosby who stunned President Clinton as well as fellow reporters when, during a live White House press conference, she informed him that he would be subpoenaed to testify in the Whitewater trial in 1996.
Other domestic stories that Cosby has covered include the death of JFK Jr., the drowning of the Egyptair flight off the coast of Nantucket, the explosion of TWA Flight 800, the Olympic Park bombing, the Oklahoma City bombing trial as well as countless hurricanes and earthquakes. Internationally, she's covered the entire Elian Gonzalez custody battle, traveled to Cuba to report on the Pope's historic meeting with Fidel Castro, went to Kosovo after the peace deal was signed, covered the hostage standoff at the Japanese embassy in Lima, Peru and reported from Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia during the aftermath of the crash of Swissair Flight 111.
Cosby joined FOX News from WBTV (CBS) in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she broke the news that Susan Smith drowned her two young sons and that the father of NBA superstar Michael Jordan was murdered. Fluent in Spanish and proficient in five other languages, she is listed in "Outstanding People of the 20th Century," featured in Cosmopolitan magazine's "Fun and Fearless Female" column and profiled as a "Watchworthy woman on the campaign trail" in Glamour magazine.
Having served as a co-chair and frequent keynote speaker for various colleges, professional organizations and charitable events, in 1998 she received The Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Carolina.
